1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to endoscope means incorporating a channel and ovum picker inserted through the channel and for picking up ovum from the ovarian follicle without injuring the follicle and for accomplishing this under the visual observation through an endoscope means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the first success in the birth of externally fertilized babies by Steptoe in the United Kingdom in 1978, interests in external fertilization has increased all over the world including Japan. Clinical applications have been tried in various facilities. There have been reported about 400 cases of birth of babies externally fertilized.
In order to effect the external fertilization, it is necessary to pick up the ovum from the mother. As reported by Mr. Suzuki et al in the Medical Department of Tohoku University on Journal of Japanese Sterlization Society, No. 4, Vol. 28, 1983, the ovum has been picked up by sucking it through a suction needle inserted through a hole formed through abdominal skin under the observation through an abdominal endoscope inserted through as second hole pierced through the abdominal skin.
Conventional aspirator needle, as employed for sucking up the ovum, has the form a hollow needle for a syringe, having a inner diameter of about 1.0 mm for picking up the ovum, an outer diameter of about 2.0 mm and a length of about 200 to 250 mm. Such needle has a sharp edge at the top thereof for piercing through the ovarian follicle grown at the surface of ovary. The precious ovum, developed during long menstruation, has frequently been injured by the sharp edge of needle during piercing.
If damage caused by the piercing needle is not found and fertilization succeeds, a defective baby will be born. Hence, care must be exercised for the picking-up of ovum by the piercing needle, external fertilization and implanation or pregnancy.
For picking-up of ovum, the needle should be pierced through the ovarian follicle. The sharp tip edge of the aspirator needle in such conventional practice should be pierced deeply, after the piercing for aspirating and can result in the damage on the ovum in the ovarian follicle. Particularly, when such is procedure is to be applied to human beings, the picking-up of ovum is very dangerous.
Moreover, when a fine hole or opening is provided for aspirating and picking-up ovum and the tip of aspirator needle is protruded, the ovarian follicle is displaced making the formation of a suitable opening, such as fine hole, difficult. Excessively piercing with the sharp needle edge can damage the inner ovum. Still further, the conventional aspirator needle has the additional disadvantage in that the ovarian follicle is displaced easily and can be pierced at an undesired site.
In addition, because the conventional aspirator needle requires one piercing hole and the abdominal endoscope requires a second hole for picking up the ovum through the abdominal wall, the needle method is not favorable for patient or animal.
A picking-up tool of ovum for external fertilization is described in West Germany Utility Model No. 7,615,524. An endoscope incorporating a channel is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,122 and West Germany Utility Model No. 68,104,329.